People often ask me, “Paul, how do you find time to do so many things in a day and still find time to meditate or do your tai-chi practice?”
People typically ask such questions of me during conversations around their challenges with time management.
I often quote Earl Nightingale, who stated “Time can’t be managed, only activities can.”
Regardless of where you live on planet earth, there are 24 hours in every day, for everyone.
Time as we know it is a product of the movement of celestial spheres; one rotation of the earth around the sun takes what we call a year; one rotation of the moon around the earth takes approximately 29.5 days; one rotation of the earth on its axis takes 24 hours.
Regardless of how busy we perceive ourselves to be, we are all inherently woven into the fabric of time created by celestial bodies.
Because we can’t slow, or speed the rate of the sun, moon, or earth, it is safe to agree with Earl Nightingale when he says that time can’t be managed.
ONLY ACTIVITIES CAN BE MANAGED
It is very easy to get swept away by the social center of gravity. When we are surrounded by people that equate “business” with “productivity”, yet they are unable to find “time” to meet their authentic needs, such as caring for themselves, it is easy to emulate that mode of existence without realizing we are doing it.
This is what I mean by being swept away by the social center of gravity.
Most people, even the so-called “successful people” can’t find time to eat, move and be healthy.
All the while, they can find time to return masses of text messages, tweets, phone calls, to dabble in meaningless conversations, watch TV shows and shop for things that ultimately add no value to their lives.
YOUR 4 DOCTORS AS PERSONAL VALUES
Dr. Happiness emerges when we get clear on what our overarching dream, goal or objective is.
With that as our GPS coordinate, we can easily create values around the other 4 doctors.
Dr. Movement represents values regarding how much movement we need to effectively create well-being and our dream. Dr. Quiet represents your values regarding how much rest you need to fulfill your dream.
Dr. Diet expresses our values regarding food and drink; is what you are eating bringing you the vitality needed to create and live your dream?
Above, you see a picture of me doing tai-chi in the early morning in Sweden before I began a long day of teaching.
I could easily have convinced myself to stay in bed longer; “I’ve got jet lag”! “I’m too tired to get up”! I know that getting out into nature and reconnecting with the earth, reestablishing optimal breathing patterns, pumping my organs and glands, and taking responsibility for myself is elementary to creating and experiencing any dream, so I’ve made that a value I live by.
Today is a great day to list all the “activities” you’ve chosen to spend your time on and determine which of them are, and are not essential to the creation and experience of your dream.
By creating values that facilitate health and wellness within, you dramatically increase your chances of having the energy and mental clarity to create clearly and efficiently.
In so doing, you become a living example for all who witness your actions and interact with you each day.
In due time, living that way gives you the inner peace of knowing that by living fully, you are teaching others to do the same.
As Abraham Lincoln once said, “The best way to help the poor is not to become one of them.”
Those without money, vitality, health or well-being don’t need more company, they do benefit from good leadership.
If we all authentically create 4 Doctor values that support us as individuals, and our dream, we are a blessed example to all those who can gain by emulating us.
Love and chi,
Paul Chek
